TACOMA, Wash. — The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County is seeking donation to help pay for surgeries for two kittens found maimed in December.
Early that month, Tacoma Animal Control brought the kittens to the Humane Society. Both were missing their back-left paw and weighed less than 1 pound.
The shelter's veterinary team started them on medication to fight infection and cleaned their wounds.
Now named Foxtrot and Echo, the two have been in a foster home for weeks to gain weight before surgery.
Both will require amputations for their back leg to allow them to walk without pain or infection, according to the Humane Society. The cost of the surgeries is "high," and the shelter reports it has been "inundated with serious medical cases in the last year." Donations are being accepted here.
In King County, animal cruelty cases have risen since the start of the pandemic, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. In 2021, they filed 21 cases. In 2020, 25 cases, followed by nine cases in 2019 and 10 cases in 2018.
Also in December, several dogs were found dead and others cold and starving at two different properties in Pierce County amid freezing temperatures.
On Dec. 27, Pierce County Animal Control brought six dogs from a property in Graham to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County. The dogs were found outside in freezing temperatures. Two dogs were found dead on the property.
One of the dogs found in Graham had to be euthanized. The remaining five were considered to be in poor condition, according to the Humane Society.
On Dec. 28, 14 dogs were brought to the shelter from a property in Tacoma.
The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County was asking for donations to help treat the dogs.